Monday, October 20, 2008

My New Favourite Word

This is my new favourite word: Sprezzatura (sprett-sah-toorah). How did I go so long without knowing this word? Perhaps because it is the exact opposite of everything I’ve ever done. If sprezzatura means making something difficult look easy then it really is the opposite of me. I make swimming look like drowning, walking look like tripping, and joking look like choking. The well rehearsed offhand aside is probably the best example of this. A zinger you’ve been waiting to let loose; waiting for just the opportune time to make a comment that everyone else believes is improvised. There are plenty of samples to choose from (“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”) but the most recent one that comes to mind is Jack Layton’s “sweater” remark to Stephen Harper. Though he kind of wrecked it by returning to it again and again in the days following the debate.

Like Layton, I long for the ability to toss out impromptu missives like darts from my mouth rather than the spittle that usually spews forth. How does one appear more perfectly nonchalant? Practice, practice, practice.